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Abstract

This paper discusses the implementation of Kanban as the framework for managing electronic
resources workflows by presenting case studies from the University of Saskatchewan Library and at the
Saskatchewan Polytechnic Library in Saskatchewan, Canada. Librarians at both institutions independently
chose to adopt Kanban to manage electronic resources work, applying the essential Kanban framework
of lists titled to do, in progress, and done. Examining the similarities and differences in each librarian’s
experience and discussing two different software programs used, we have included descriptions of our
implementation, in-depth information about the origins of Kanban, and its more recent applications to
technical work. We found numerous benefits—including reduced email communication and improved due
date tracking—to our implementation of Kanban and no significant drawbacks. Interest in applications
of Kanban in libraries is on the rise, and we found there were significant benefits of using Kanban for
electronic resources teams when used in conjunction with other tools (e.g., spreadsheets, email, ERMS).